Ratchet tool



J. C. BLEVNE.

RAT CHET TOOL. APPLICATION man JAN. 27. 1921.

Patented Nov. 28, 1922..

IIVI/E/I/TOR Arm/Mfrs;

Patented Nov. 2%, 1922.

untrue sra'rns JOHN C. BL EV NEY OF LAWRENCE PARK, ERO'NX'VILLE, NEW YORK.

nATcHn'r Toot.

Application filed January 2?, 1921.

ings, and to characters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specifica,

tion. i i I The present invention relates, generally to improvements in hand tools; and the invention has reference, more particularly, to a novel construction of ratchet tool handle for screw-drivers and other shank tools.

The invention hasttor its principal object to provide a very simple construction of ratchet tool handle which comprises few parts associated togetherin a novel manner and relation, and oi a character rendering both the manufacture of the several parts and the assembling together comparatively inexpensive both fronithe standpoint oi? labor and material required.

The invention has for a further object to provide a constructionof tool of the kind mentioned, in which a novel term. arrangement and lo'cationof the ratchet elements is involved together with a novel arrangement of handle support with which the tool, per se, is interchangeably or detachably connected with both the handle and ratchet mechanism. I y I Other objects 01"" the present invention, not

at this time more particularly enumerated,

willbe clearly understood from the following detailed description of the same.

With the various objects of my present invention in view, the same consists, primarily, in the novel construction of ratchet tool hereinafter set forth; and, the invention consists, furthermore, in the novel arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, a'swell as in the details of the construction of the same,'all of which will be hereinafter more fully described, and then finally embodied in the claims appended hereto.

of the same,

Serial No. eeossa.

The inventionis clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which ,Figure 1 is a front elevation 01. the novel ratchet tool, made 7 according to and embodying the principles of the present invention; Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, taken on line 22 in said Figure 1; Figure 3 is a horizontal transverse section of the same, taken on line in Figure 2; Figure an another horizontal transverse section of the same, taken on line l e in Figure 2 and showing the ratchet mechanism locked in neutral position; Figure 5 is a view similar to that shown in Figure 4, but showing the ratchet mechanism set :tor right hand. turning or driving of the tool with left hand release; while Figure 6 is another similar view, showing the ratchet mechanism set for left hand turningor driving of the tool with right hand release; and Figure 7 is a detail vertical transverse section, taken on line 7-7 in said Figure 3.

Similar vcharacters oi? reference are em,-

ployed in all of the above described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now to said drawings, the reference character 1 indicates a tool handle, preferably made of cast metal, an i suitably cored to provide an interior chamber 2. The lower end of the said handleterminates in a bearing portion 3 of suit able length and provided with a central longitudinal opening providing an axial bearing 4 for the shank of a tool to be operatively associated with said handle. The

wall of said handle is essentially provided with a rectangular lateral opening 5, which, for the purpose of this description, may be i said to be located in the front side of said handle, and intern'iediate its upper end and said bearing portion 3 In the opposite or rear side ofsaid handle is located a vertical or longitudinal slot tnithe same being alined with and corresponding height of said opening 5.

The reference characters 7 and 8 respectively indicate upper and lower housing plates, which are punched outo'i sheet metal of suitable gauge, and which are at the same time provided with the desired peripheral shape and with properly located and associated openings. In this respect each housing plate is provided with stop shoulders 9 at their outer ends, adapted to engage the in length 'to the 2 side margins of the opening 5 of the handle when inserted therein to extend horizontally forwardly spaced therefrom are a pair of laterally; opposed ratchet-pawl trunnion bearing openings 12 of substantially triangular shape with their sides'diverging toward their inner ends to provide forthe desired play of said 'ratchet-pawls in a manner to be subsequently more fully described; and forwardly spaced from said bearingopenings 12 is a centrally disposed laterally extending slot 13 having a plurality of keeper notches in its forward margin, to wit, acentral or neutral keeper notch 14, a right hand ratchet drive keeper notch 15, and a left hand ratchet drive keeper notch 16, the purpose and operation of which, in connection with other associated parts of the device, will be hereinafter more fully set forth.

WVhen assembled with the handle 1, said housing plates 7 and 8 are disposed to extend horizontally through the interior chamber 2 thereof in vertically spaced relation, one above the other, and with their several openings, as above described respectively alined vertically.

Disposed between said housing plates 7 and 8, and-rotatably supported. thereby by means of its hubs or journals lfwhich are respectively journaled in the bearing openings' 1'1 of said housing plates, is a toothed ratchet wheel 18 having a central axial opening 19, preferably of polygonal cross sectionalshape; said axial opening 19 being in substantialvertical longitudinal alinement with said opening 1 of the bearing portion 3 of said handle. i i

The reference characters 20 and 21 respectively indicate a right hand drive ratchet pawl and a left hand drive ratchet pawl. Each ratchetpawl comprises a rectangular punching of sheet metal provided with flat oppositely projecting trunnions-22 extending respectively from their upper and lower edges. The trunnions of said right hand drive ratchet pawl 20 are journaled .in the vertically alined bearing openings 12 of said housing plates located to the right of said ratchet: wheel 18; while the trunnions-of said left hand drive ratchet pawl 21 are journaled in the vertically alined bearing openings 12 of said housing plates located o the left of said ratchet wheel 18. .The outer vertical edges of the trunnions of the respective ratchet pawls are fulcrumed in the outer converging ends of said bearing openings 12, and by reason of the divergence of the sides of said bearing openings 12 toward the inner ends thereof, it will be apparent that the innerends of the ratchet pawls are free to oscillate, or, in other words, are free to move toward and away from the ratchet wheel 18. The substantially triangular perpendicular carrier pin 23 upon which is supported a pawl spring comprised of two oppositely and laterally extending branches or leaves, to wit, the right-hand spring portion or leaf 24 and the left-hand spring portion or leaf .25, the one operatively engaging the ratchet pawl 20 and the other the ratchet-pawl 21. The intermediateportion of the spring is formed with a loop 26 adapted to extend around and embrace the carrier pin-. In order to hold the spring in assembled and secured relation to the carrier pin and also to cover and protect the same I provide a guard plate 27, which is provided with inwardlv bowedupper and lower loops 28 and an intermediate or central loop 29 which extends around ELD ClGHIbIZtCGS the loop 26 of the spring as engaged with the carrier pin, while the loops 28 encircle thev inner sides ofthe latter above andbelow the spring, thus holding the spring against d placement. Theoppositely extending win or ends of said guard plate 27 extend over and protect the'respective spring, portions or leaves 24 and 25, but do not interfere w th the operative flexing of said springportions or leaves when the same function. The I pawl spring mechanism thus constructed is mounted or supported by the housing plates 7 and 8 by entering the respective ends, of said carrier pin'23 in theslots 1.3 of said respectivehousing plates, said. carrier pin being shiftable in the said slots for selective engagement with any pair. of the keeper notches 14;, 15 and 16 of said slots 13, ac cording as it is required to dispose the pawl 'pring mechanism to produce the desired functioning of the ratchet-pawls relative to the ratchet wheel.

The reference character 30 indicates a screw driver or other desired tool'having a shank 31. The upper end portion of the shank 31 is provided with a ratchet wheel so as to operamerely inserts a neeaeao coupling portion 32 of a cross sectional shape corresponding to the cross sectional shape of the axial opening 19 of said ratchet wheel, whereby the tool shank may be secured in fixed relation to said ratchet wheel. The upper extremity of said shank 31 is provided with a tapered head 33 beneath which is provided an annular keeper groove or channel 34. To operatively associate the tool with the handle 1 and its ratchet wheel 18, the shank 31 thereof is inserted upwardly through the opening a of the bearing portion 3 until its coupling portion 32 enters through the axial opening 19 of the ratchet wheel 18. In order to retain the tool in associated and operative connection with the handle 1, there is provided a keeper spring device, the anchoring loop 35 of which is engaged around the lugs 10 of the housing plates 7 and 8, so as to be positioned between the wall of said handle and shoulders 36 provided at the juncture of said lugs 10 with the main portion ofthe said housing plates. Extending horizontally from said anchoring loop 35 are a pair of spring keeper arms 37, which terminate in upwardly projecting finger pieces 38. As the tapered head 33 of the tool shank, when the latter is passed into engaged relation to said ratchet wheel, emerges from the upper end of the ratchet wheel, the same passes between said spring keeper arms 37 thereby spreading the same until they are sprung over said head so as to enter'into said annular keeper groove or channel 34;, whereupon said spring arms become engaged beneath said head thereby retaining said tool against removal from the handle and its ratchet wheel. When it is desired to remove said tool from the handle, the operator finger between the finger pieces 38 (the walls of said handle opposite said finger pieces 38 being provided with a suitably formed admission opening 39 for such purpose), whereupon the same are spread apart and such spreading movement is communicated to the spring keeper arms 37 so that the same are removed from the keeper groove or channel 3 1 and from-under the head 33, so that the tool is thereby released for withdrawal from the handle and its ratchet wheel.

Having thus described the detail construction of my invention I will now briefly describe the manner of its adjustment and operation in use. First, if it is desired to lock the handle and tool together so that turning movements of the former to either the right or left will be transmitted to the tool, the pawl spring mechanism is set in a so called neutral position so that both ratchet pawls 20 and 21 are engaged with the ratchet wheel. This arrangement of the parts is illustrated in Figures 1 to l inclusive and in Figure 7, and as an inspection of while at the same said figures will disclose, the carrier pin 23 is disposed in the neutral keeper notch 14: or in normal central position whereby the pawl spring is centrally positioned so that the spring :leaf 24 engages the ratchet-pawl 20 at a point inwardly positioned relative to its fulcrum, and the spring leaf 25 engages the ratchet-pawl 21 at a point inwardly positioned relative to the latters fulcrum, whereby the respective ratchet-pawls are both inwardly swung to operat-ively and oppositely engage the ratchet wheel 18 whereby the handle is locked against turning indepe ndently of the ratchet-wheel and tool connected therewith in both directions, and consequently the tool may be turned by hand in either direction, viz, to the right or left.

Secondly, if it is desired to so relate the handle to the tool that only a turning movement of the former to the right will be transmitted to the tool, (as, for example, in driving a wood-screw) while an independent turning movement of the handle to the left not transmitted to the tool is provided for, then the pawl spring mechanism is set to operatively engage the right hand drive ratchet pawl 20 wit-h the ratchet wheel 18, time releasing the left hand drive ratchet pawl 21 from operative engagement with said ratchet wheel. This arrangement of the parts is illustrated by Figure 5 of the drawings, and is accomplished by pressing inwardly the guardplate 27 and carrier pin 23 to release the latter from the neutral keeper notch 14;, whereby the same may be shifted through the slots 13 into engagement with the keeper notches 15. This movement shifts the pawl spring laterally, so that while the spring leaf 24 still engages the right hand drive ratchet pawl 20 at a point inwardy positioned relative to its fulcrum, whereby the same is retained in operative engagement with the ratchet wheel 18, the other spring leaf 25 is shifted to engage hand drive ratchet-pawl 21 at a point outwardly positioned relative to the latters fulcrum, whereby the,pressure of the spring tends to rock the pawl on its fulcrum to swing its inner operative end away from the ratchet wheel 18. It thus follows that a turning movement of the handle 1 to the right is transmitted through the right hand drive ratchet-pawl 20 to the ratchet wheel 18 and thence to the tool, while a turning movement of the handle to the left fails to engage the outwardly held left hand drive ratchet-pawl 21 with the ratchetwheel, and consequently the latter and the tool remains stationary, and the right hand drive ratchet-pawl 20, being yieldingly pressed inward by the spring leaf 24E, rides over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel, until right hand turning movement of the handle is resumed.

the left Thirdly, if it is desired to so relate the handle to the tool that only a turning movement of the former to the left will be trans mitted to the tool, (as, for example, in withdrawing a wood screw,) while an independent movement of the handle to the right is provided for, then the pawl spring mechanism is set to operatively engage the left hand drive ratchet pawl 21 with the ratchet wheel 18, while at the same time releasing the right hand drive ratchet-pawl 20 from operative engagement with said ratchet wheel.

My novel construction of ratchet mechanism may be made stronger and larger, than is usual in tools of this character, by reason of its location within the comparatively roomy space of the hollow hande. Another advantage of the novel ratchet mechanism and means for mounting the same, lies in the fact that close and accurate machining and fitting of the parts is unnecessary, since the housing plates may be loosely enough fitted within the handle to allow sufiicient lateral play whereby the insertion into the handle of the shank of the tool, even where the latter is not perfectly true axially, will engage and operatively connect the ratchet wheel therewith.

It will be understood that various kinds of shank tools or tool chuck shanks may be employed with the novel handle and ratchet mechanism, and that I do not limit myself to the screw driver tool shown, in the drawings.

I am aware that some changes may be made in the arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction of the same, without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the foregoing specification, and as defined in the appended claims. Hence, I do not limit my invention to the exact arrangements and combinations of the various devices and parts as described in said specification, nor do I confine myself to the exact details of the construction of said parts as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

I claim 1. In a device of the kind described, a hollow handle member having at its lower end an axial bearing, a ratchet mechanism mounted within said handle above said axial bearing, a tool having a shank, a means at the upper end of said tool shank for operatively coupling the same with said ratchet mechanism when inserted upwardly through said axial bearing, and releasable means for retaining said tool shank in coupled relation to said ratchet mechanism, comprising a bifurcated keeper spring fixed above said ratchet mechanism, means on the upper extremity of said tool shank engageable by said keeper spring, and said giving access to and providing a path of movement for said pawl adjusting means when said ratchet mechanism is in place, and a tool having a shank journaled in said axial bearing with its upper end operatively engaged with said ratchet mechanism.

3. In a device of the kind described, a hollow handle member having at its lower end an axial bearing, a ratchet mechanism provided with pawl adjusting means, said handle member having a side opening for the insertion into said handle member of said ratchet mechanism, said side opening giving access to said pawl adjusting means when said ratchet mechanism is in place, a detachable tool having a shank, means at theupper end of said tool shank for operatively coupling the same with said ratchet mechanism when inserted upwardly through said axial bearing, releasable spring means for retaining said tool shank in coupled relation to said ratchet mechanism and said handle member having a second opening giving access to'said spring means.

4:. In a device of the kind described, a hollow handle member having at its lower end an axial bearing, a ratchet mechanism provided with pawl adjusting means, said handle member having a side opening for the insertion into said handle member of said ratchet mechanism, said side opening giving access to said pawl adjusting means when said ratchet mechanism is in place, a detachable tool having a shank, means at the upper end of said tool shank for operatively coupling the same with said ratchet mechanism when inserted upwardly through said axial bearing, and releasable means for retaining said tool shank in coupled relation to said ratchet mechanism, comprising a bifurcated keeper spring fixed above said ratchet mechanism, means on the up- .per extremity of said shank engageable by said keeper spring, and said handle having a second side opening giving access to said keeper spring for actuating its disengage ment from said shank.

In testimony, that I claim the invention set forth above I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of January, 1921.

JOHN G. BLEVNEY. Witnesses:

GEORGE D, RICHARDS,

DOROTHEA BLYDENBURGH. 

